The contact lens blog. Insights about fitting, technology, and the business of contact lenses.

A common question that contact lens wearers may ask is: “I travel a lot, what contact lens options are right for me?” While the best resource for this question is your eye doctor, there are more options than ever for contact lens wearers who travel. Here is a rundown of contact lens options that travelers may want to consider discussing with their eye doctor:

Daily disposable contact lenses: daily disposable contact lenses like CooperVision’s Proclear 1 Day contact lenses are a convenient option for patients who travel. Daily disposable contact lenses require very little contact lens maintenance so that means patients won’t have to worry about travelling with bottles of contact lens solution or contact lens cases. Patients also get to wear a fresh contact lens every day of their trip. Just make sure to pack extra pairs just in case.

2 week contact lenses: If you happen to already wear 2 week contact lenses like Avaira, then you may prefer to use the contact lenses that you have when you travel. But comfort is still important since you will be traveling in airplanes that can dry out your eyes, long car rides, etc. Avaira contact lenses are the only naturally wettable two-week silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Made from a unique material that attracts and binds water to the lens, Avaira lenses stay moist and comfortable without surface treatments or wetting agents that can wash off as you clean your contacts. Ask your doctor about Avaira if you are interested in wearing 2 week contact lenses.

Monthly contact lenses: Some monthly contact lenses that have extended wear approval may be ideal for patients who need to travel because it is convenient to continuously wear contact lenses while you are travelling. CooperVision’s Biofinity contact lenses are FDA approved for extended wear for up to 7 days and 6 nights. Make sure to ask your eye doctor about extended wear if you want to travel with monthly contact lenses.

No matter what contact lens you decide to use while you are travelling, it helps to talk about a contact lens care and replacement schedules with your eye doctor. If you don’t have an eye doctor, you can find one using our Practitioner Locator.

As you think about spring or summer trips, you could be wondering: “How do I travel with contact lenses?” A lot of patients choose to leave their contacts at home in favor of traditional eyeglasses in order to avoid any hassles with flying with contact lenses. In fact, a few years ago, a couple missed their honeymoon over a bottle of contact lens solution! The good news is that with these contact lens tips, contact lens wearers can look and feel great during their vacations this year.

Remember the 311 Rule:

TSA allows contact lens solution as an exception to their 3.4 oz liquids rule, but travelling with travel sized bottles of solution and rewetting drops may be more convenient. As a rule of thumb, travelers should remember the 311 rule. That means 3.4 oz of acceptable liquids in separate bottles, placed in one quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Once a traveler gets to the checkpoint, he or she should place that plastic bag in a separate bin to be scanned by a TSA agent.

Pack It All On Carry On:

Pack your contact lens solution, rewetting drops, and glasses in your carry-on bag to avoid problems if your checked-in luggage is delayed or lost. Cabin air tends to get dry, so keeping a bottle of rewetting drops can help prevent your contact lenses from drying out while you travel.

Consider Daily Disposables:

In order to prevent issues at TSA checkpoints and while packing, consider trying daily disposable lenses. With daily disposable lenses like CooperVision’s Proclear 1 Day contact lenses, there is no need for contact lens cases or solution. Plus, contact lens wearers get the benefit of a fresh pair of contact lenses every day.

Pack Back Up:

In case you don’t wear daily disposables, make sure that you pack a few back up lenses in case your original pair gets torn or lost. Packing your eyeglasses just in case your eyes get too irritated for lens wear may be a good idea too. Always remember to call an eye care professional if you experience any severe eye discomfort.

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On Eye is the contact lens blog from CooperVision. On this site, you will find insights about fitting, technology, and the business of contact lenses. The On Eye blog is designed to meet the needs of both Eye Care Practitioners and consumers. ECP and medical professional-specific portions of the blog will be password protected in order to protect and reserve the privacy of the profession. To read more about our terms of use, please see the Legal tab.